While applicable to any lamp socket constructed of a material having a tendency to outgass material that can be adversely deposited upon a viewing surface, this invention is particularly applicable to automotive sockets employed in taillights and turn signal lights. Such sockets are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,411,407 and 5,971,814, both assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
Such sockets can be constructed of nylon with a 43% glass fill and are usually designated as S8 sockets that take S8 bulbs. The S8 bulb has a wedge base that frictionally engages contacts within the socket and these bulbs can operate at temperatures above 100° C. At such temperatures entrained gases can be out-gassed from the socket material and deposit upon the lamp envelope adversely affecting the lamp's performance.